L-G: Peace must for healthy society

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, February 23

Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu on Sunday said peace was one of the pillars on which any healthy democratic society could flourish. He favoured inter-community engagements to maintain co-existence in a plural and multicultural society.

In a written message, Murmu, who could not make it to the 6th peace symposium, organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on the theme, ‘Fundamentals of Establishing Lasting Peace’, here on Sunday, said the inter-community engagements were an important mechanism to maintain co-existence in a “plural and multi-cultural society like ours”.

The message was read by Lieutenant Governor’s Adviser Kewal Kumar Sharma, who was the chief guest at the event.

The L-G said, “I believe peace is the most fundamental asset of growth and development of an individual, a community, a nation and in fact to the very survival of human times. Peace is one of the pillars on which any healthy democratic society can flourish. In addition to focusing on sustainable development and respect for human rights and rule of law, sustained peace not only enriches any individual life but also leads to the development of more open, just and vibrant communities and helps the people to embrace diversity.”

“Efforts for advancing peaceful co-existence are the pre-requisite to ensuring meaningful individual lives and developing human society. I trust the continuous inter-community dialogue. Facilitating people-to-people contact leads to sensitisation of masses and strengthening of local capacities and institutions at all levels, thereby promoting diverse and tolerant societies which are resilient and are a lot more productive and sustainable,” Murmu said.

In his address, Adviser Sharma appreciated the role played by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community throughout the world for the establishment of peace and harmony, besides undertaking various charitable works for the welfare and uplift of the needy and deserving.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Manoj K Dhar, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, stressed the importance of “internal peace” in an individual and said education was the biggest tool for a community to guide and educate the youth so that they could work with full zeal to achieve the larger goal of peace at the world level.

Other prominent speakers on the occasion included Daleep Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Jammu, Amit Sharma, administrator, Associated Hospitals, Government Medical College, Jammu, ID Soni, S K Jain, SS Sodhi and Dr Ravi Jayee.

All India youth head of Ahmadiyya Muslims K Tariq Ahmad dwelt on the initiatives taken by the community under its abiding motto, “Love for all, hatred for none”.

All India deputy head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Sheeraz Ahmad, who presided over the event, highlighted the major initiatives taken by the community for the establishment of peace and harmony in the country. Gohar Hafeez Fani conducted the proceedings of the event, while Laeeq Ahmed Naik, missionary in charge, Jammu, presented the formal vote of thanks. On the occasion, several activists and workers, who have contributed and served people in J&K, were felicitated for rendering their services.